1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to vehicle wheels including structural members defining an enclosed cavity that receives foam adhered to the members so as to cooperate therewith as a load bearing component of the wheel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. Application Ser. No. 527,555, filed Nov. 27, 1974, discloses and claims a vehicle wheel having an outer skin defined by metallic structural members. The structural members cooperate to define an enclosed volume or cavity for foam. The foam is injected into the cavity and adheres to the structural members so as to cooperate therewith as a load bearing component of the wheel.
The wheel of the above patent application includes an annular outer rim for mounting a tire and a radial disc within the confines of the rim. The disc includes bolt holes for permitting attachment bolts to mount the wheel on a vehicle axle. The outboard side of the disc is defined by a structural member that may include radial ribs giving the wheel a styled appearance, the ribs having a spoke-like appearance. The structural member defining the ribs is formed by a stamping operation. This stamping operation must necessarily incorporate tools that form each of the ribs. Each rib thus necessarily results in a corresponding tooling cost that must be added to the selling price of each wheel.